Few
plants have been as interwoven with the affairs of man as bamboo. The cedar of
the West Coast Indians come closest, but it never served as a food staple as
bamboo has. Food, construction, storage, art - they are all in the domain of
bamboo. Bamboos are often an excellent choice for the indoor or conservatory
garden.

Bamboos
are divided into 2 important categories - Clumping and Running. Within the
running category are gentle runners and rampant runners. Most bamboos that are
normally sold are the rampant runners. These are the ones that have given bamboo
its much deserved reputation as a monster. These varieties can break up drain
tiles, run under sidewalks, and alienate neighbors. Unless you use a rhizome
barrier (steel flashing or polybutyl), do not plant a rampant runner in a small
suburban or city lot. Some Phyllostachys; all Pseudosasa, Sasa, and
Hibanobambusa are rampant runners. Some Phyllostachys, Pleioblastus, and
Shibataea are gentle runners and spread very
slowly.

Clumping
bamboos, like Fargesia, Bambusa, Borinda and Chusquea, are well-behaved plants that send
up shoots 1-3 from the edge of the clump, not 3-5 like rampant runners. Fargesia are among the hardiest
of bamboo and we have sent many to Ontario and Nova Scotia that are now
thriving. If your winter temperatures are below -22°F
(-30°C),
push the canes to the ground, tie them down and cover with mulch. Some Chusqueas and Borindas are fully hardy on the
B.C. Coast. Bambusas are
hardy in only the mildest of
B.C. climates.

Most
bamboos are shipped as divisions or as 1 or 2 gallon plants. We ships roots for
those varieties that cannot be grown in sizes less than 5 gallon size. Roots
have no greenery and are approximately 12-16 long with 2 to 4 growth buds.
Roots usually, but not always, grow. We have about an 80% success rate here at
the Nursery. Our customers have indicated about a 75% success rate. Roots are a
gamble. Unlike most other plants that we sell, we
do not guaranteebamboo
roots. Please consider
this if you choose to order roots. Roots
can be shipped only in the spring.

ROOT
CARE: Unpack and plant them immediately. Plant in a wide pot (minimum size
12) or in the ground if the soil is warm enough. Lay the root almost flat
with the growing end slightly raised. Cover with 2 of good, light soil and
water well. Dont expose any of the root above the soil surface. Add more soil
if needed. Keep moist, but not soaked, until the root sprouts. Growth should
begin once the weather is warm.

GENERAL BAMBOO CARE: Plant in average,
well-drained soil mixed with well-rotted manure or compost. Bamboo is a
grass, so in early spring fertilize with high nitrogen fertilizer.
Occasionally the leaves will yellow - this usually occurs during the winter or
in late summer. If this occurs, fertilize additionally with a high iron
fertilizer such as Milorganite or Miracid. Running bamboo placed in containers
need to be divided and repotted every 2 - 3 years.

All
bamboo are available in large sizes at the Nursery. We have increased the size
of our bamboo display gardens and we welcome your visit to see some of these
spectacular specimens in a garden setting.

BAMBOO IN THE GARDEN

We
have grouped the bamboo according to origin and size. We find this useful
because it gives us a framework for using them in the landscape. Often we mix
different coloured canes together such as Phyllostachys nigra and Phyllostachys
aureosulcata aureocaulis. Or we combine different types of bamboo. You can give
your bamboo garden structure by using a hedging bamboo such as Sasa tsuboiana to
border your paths, and a large culm bamboo behind them. Some of the bamboo below
such as Hibanobambusa, Pseudosasa or Bashania could go in two categories (they
are real tall, shrub bamboos).

All
Borinda

All
Chusquea

All
Fargesia

All
Himalayacalamus

All
Thamnocalamus

Yushania

MOUNTAIN BAMBOO

These bamboos
grow in the mountain areas of the Himalayas and the Andes. They do not like hot
dry areas and often perform better when not in full sun.

They are all
clumping bamboo and grow in pots as well as in the garden.

Most
have small leaves that impart a delicate look to the plant. They are not
dense so you can look through them and see other plants placed behind them.

They look good
in mixed borders, or as specimen plants.

Pleioblastus
argenteostriatus

Pleioblastus
fortunei

Pleioblastus
shibuyanus

Pleioblastus
pygmaeus & viridistriatus

Pseudosasa
owatarii

Sasa
veitchii

DWARF BAMBOO

Low
and fast growing with dense, weed-choking growth. They grow in sun or shade. They
often benefit from mowing or cutting in early spring.

Do
not place them near perennials or small shrubs. They will quickly create a
weed-free carpet of greenery.

TALL BAMBOO

All
Arundinaria

Bambusa
multiplex Alphonse Karr

Bambusa textilis

Bashania
fargesia

Chimonobambusa
quadrangularis

All
Hibanobambusa

All
Phyllostachys

Pleioblastus
hindsii & linearis

All
Pseudosasa (except owatarii)

All
Semiarundinaria

All
Sinobambusa

Fast
growing, usually spreading. They need room to grow and vary in height from 15
to 60.

They
prefer sun and are heavy feeders. Fertilize well in spring with rotted manure.

Most will do
well in pots for a couple of years before needing to be transplanted. When
transplanting, put into larger pots or cut away 1/3 to 1/2 of the roots and
place back into the same pot.

Their canes are quite beautiful. Cutting out the smaller sized canes
can help show off the larger remaining ones.

They look great
in groves or growing up through low growing bamboo. Some of the larger ones can
create a small forest in six to ten years.

Bambusa
m. riviereorum

Chimonobambusa
marmorea

Indocalamus

tessellatus

All
Pleioblastus chino varieties

Pleioblastus
gramineus

& kongosanensis

All
Sasa except veitchii

All Sasaella

Shibataea

chinensis & kumasaca

SHRUB BAMBOO

This
is a varied grouping with plants ranging from 4 to 8 high. Most like sun
to part-shade. They are heavy feeders and like a quantity of rotted manure.

They are all fast-spreading with dense growth.

Their leaf form is often wider than other bamboos with some leaves over
4 wide by 16 long.Usually the culms are hidden in the
foliage. Plant them
as groundcovers around large deciduous or coniferous trees. Like the dwarfs,
they quickly eliminate the need to weed.